


That Flashing Light

by HockeyMatchmaking



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, Mpreg, Underage (17 year old with a 26 year old)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-29
Updated: 2012-12-29
Packaged: 2017-11-22 21:16:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 10,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/614422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HockeyMatchmaking/pseuds/HockeyMatchmaking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I'm so sorry, Claude." Danny said, pulling into his driveway, and when he looked next at the kid, his eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. "I don't know what I'm gonna do." Claude murmured, and then he rushed into the house, tears starting to stream down his cheeks."I just, I-I…Sorry, I told myself I wouldn't cry. It's just all so much, and so fast…And-and I dunno what I'm gonna do."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. In The Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: All medical facts are completely made up… :P Also, I don't own any of the characters, nor do I believe the following events have ever actually occurred. The phone number mentioned is completely made up, and this story in no way relates to whoever actually owns that phone number.
> 
> This is an unbeta'd work.
> 
> I know that a lot of people don't like mpreg, so don't read if it bothers you...

The light flashed red as Danny Brière walked by, and he paused for a moment to start listening to his messages as he washed the dishes. Caelan, Carson and Cameron weren't home from school yet, and Danny liked to have all the housework done when they got home, so that he could spend time with them. He didn't realize when he pressed the button, but this message was about to change his life.

"Uh-Uh. Mr. Brière, uh, I mean…Daniel…I mean…um, Danny? I, uh, need to talk to you. It's really, really important." Was all the first message said, which confused Danny, cause he had no idea who'd left this message. The voice seemed completely unfamiliar, but so frightened and young that he felt bad, cause the kid who left it was obviously extremely freaked out. "Oh, yeah. Uh, sorry. Yeah, it's Claude…Um, from, you know, that…uh, Ottawa. Call me back at 613-128-3894." The kid said and a light bulb flashed in Danny's head. Oh! That guy…

_"Danny, ngg. Do that again!" Claude demanded, and he growled, but assented and pushed into Claude again. "Oh god. Zut. Fuck." The body under Danny moaned, and he almost came at the sound. A moment later Claude came, and Danny followed soon after. The pair proceeded to go at it many more times that night._

Danny scratched his head as he wondered what Claude could possibly want to talk to him about, it wasn't like he had a sex life to speak of, so there was no possibility that Claude had gotten an STD from him. Much as it pained him to admit, that time two months prior had been the first time Danny'd had sex in a year, and Claude was the only other person he'd had sex with, besides his ex-wife, in his life.

So, he poured himself a cup of coffee and wrote down the number to call Claude, Danny glanced at the clock, so he knew that he had an hour before the boys were home. He dialed the number carefully, and bit distractedly at his thumbnail as the phone rang. Impossibly quick, after only a ring or two, Claude's voice sounded through the speaker. He still sounded as young and freaked out as he had on the message, and Danny was worried.

"Hello?" He said, and Danny set his coffee cup down. "Hello, is this Claude?" He inquired, and a sigh of relief followed his words. "Thank god. Okay. Um, this is Danny, right?" Claude said, his voice getting even squeakier, and then he suddenly switched into rapid-fire French. "Tabernack. Um, you see, I really need to see, er, talk to you in person…I think maybe that would be easier, but zut I dunno how to say this?" He mumbled, and Danny frowned, taking another sip of his coffee. "Claude, can you just tell me, and then I'll tell you if I think we should meet to talk?" The man muttered into the phone, his coffee still in hand. He was trying to be patient with the scared other man, but it was difficult, because Claude's babbling was only making Danny more worried.

When the man on the other end of the line started talking again, he sounded like he was trying to keep his voice normal, but he also sounded like he was about to start sobbing, so Danny really wasn't sure what to think. He waited patiently as the man just breathed heavily into the phone for a few awkward moments. "Uh. There really is no good lead up to this. You remember that night, two months ago?" Claude inquired and Danny made a vague sound of agreement. "Well, um. I went to the doctor the other day and…oh fuck, I'm just gonna tell you, okay? Promise not to freak out?' He said, and Danny frowned, wondering what he could say that would freak him out that much.

"Alright." He mumbled, draining the rest of his coffee in one quick gulp. After another awkward silence, Claude spoke, and Danny's whole life plan changed with a few simple words. "I'm-I'm pregnant."

The phone hit the counter with a clatter, and Danny's world narrowed into a funnel. He grasped the counter and choked on his last bit of coffee. "W-What?" He muttered and when he held the phone up to his ear, Claude was freaking the fuck out on the other end, babbling about babies and abortions, and apologizing over and over. "Cause, the doc said that he can't abort it, um, I guess it's hidden behind something important, and that might permanently injure me, some nerve damage or some shit…so, uh…But I mean, I can do it anyway, if that-"

Danny interrupted the other man. "Alright, you know how I said earlier I'd tell you if we should meet to talk? Well, we should meet to talk." He sighed as a faint whimper sounded from the other end of the phone line. "Can you fly down to Philadelphia, or should I fly up to Canada?" He asked and Claude made a faint choking noise. "I think I'd better fly down there." The Canadian responded, and Danny nodded, staring distantly into his coffee mug.

"Shit. What is your name anyway? I mean your last name, I know your first name's Claude." It occurred to Danny that he didn't even know the full name of the guy he'd supposedly knocked up. There was another long silence, and finally Claude mumbled "Giroux." into the phone, then they said awkward goodbyes, after exchanging cell numbers, with Claude telling Danny he'd text him when he knew what flight he'd be on and when it would get in.

"Fuck." Danny breathed out, his mind racing as he considered all the implications of this. Finally he decided to Google Claude's name, to see if he could find more out about him. He figured he should probably know something about the guy he'd created a life with, besides the fact that he was really loud and enthusiastic in bed.

"Fuck me." He mumbled again later as the results appeared, a fucking 17-year-old junior hockey player? Really? I mean, the after-game party in Gatineau had been at a bar, so Danny had assumed that everyone there would be legal. What the fuck was he gonna do? What would his kids say? Shit, what would his parents say? How could he explain to the world that he'd knocked up a 17-year-old?

Danny got lost in his mind's ramblings for a while, and when his phone buzzed it jerked him out of his panicked thoughts. 'Got flight. Boarding in 2 hrs. Will be in Philly in 4. Prob around 6.' the text read, from an unknown number. It took Danny a moment to realize it was Claude. 'K. B there 2 pick u up.' He responded. Somehow he managed to get it together once the boys got home, and when he told them that a friend of his was coming to visit, and therefore, they'd have to stay at Sylvie's for a day or two, they seemed fine with it.

That's how he ended up dropping them off on the way to the airport, and once he got to the airport, he settled into his car in the waiting area. A moment later, Claude walked out the doors, his cheeks red with cold, and his face set in a look of worry and fear. As he dropped into the front seat, tossing his shit in the back, Danny murmured a 'Hello' and Claude replied likewise.

They drove in silence for a moment, before Danny felt compelled to talk. "The boys aren't home…so, uh, you don't have to worry about that." Claude frowned at him and then a look of comprehension dawned on his face. "Oh, okay. I keep forgetting that you already have kids." The younger man blushed and Danny raised an eyebrow. "Um…So yeah, you didn't tell me you were only 17." The older man mumbled, sounding awkward, and Claude raised his eyebrow in response. "Does it really matter?" He inquired petulantly, and Danny growled in response, "Well kinda yeah. Cause I could be arrested for that."

Claude waved a hand dismissively, and suddenly Danny noticed that the younger man was holding one of his hands over his stomach, just like Sylvie did when she was pregnant. "I, um…you're sorta staring." Claude mumbled, and he went back to focusing on driving, a light blush spreading across his face. "So…I brought the, um…ultrasound? picture…Cause…I dunno, I thought you might wanna see him." The kid mumbled, and Danny felt like a horrible human being.

"I'm so sorry, Claude." Danny said, pulling into his driveway, and when he looked next at the kid, his eyes were sparkling with unshed tears. "I don't know what I'm gonna do." Claude murmured, and then he rushed into the house, tears starting to stream down his cheeks. Danny took a moment to beat his head against the steering wheel, before he got up and walked into his house.

He found Claude sitting on the couch, gripping his stomach in one hand, an ultrasound photo in the other, and sobbing. Without thinking, Danny sat beside the kid and rubbed his back lightly. "It's-it's gonna be…okay." He murmured soothingly, and Claude just sobbed harder for a moment. Soon, his tears let up, and he hiccuped as he began trying to explain himself. "I just, I-I…Sorry, I told myself I wouldn't cry. It's just all so much, and so fast…And-and I dunno what I'm gonna _do_."

His frightened eyes met Danny's, and he remembered how attractive the kid was, a warm feeling curling low in his belly. The older man leaned in softly and kissed Claude, his hands carefully cupping the younger man's face. As he broke off the kiss he murmured, "We'll figure this out." and Claude looked hopeful for the first time since Danny had seen him. "I-I, you? I mean…I didn't really know what you would…um…do." The kid mumbled, wrapping his arms back around his stomach, the picture set carefully on the coffee table.

"Well, I married my ex-wife 'cause she was pregnant, so…" Danny tried to joke, but the younger man's eyes welled up with tears again, and he bit his lip, looking hurt. "I-I…You don't have to pull that archaic 'born-out-of-wedlock' shit with me, Danny. I-I…um…" Claude mumbled, his cheeks burning as he looked down and stroked his stomach, somewhat subconsciously. "No, No, Claude…I, uh…never mind…" The older man replied, and things got somewhat less awkward, but considerably more silent.

"Can I see that?" Danny motioned to the photo, and the younger man silently handed the ultrasound photo over, his hands shaking slightly. The older man only had to peer at the photo for a moment to make out the outline of the baby; at the top, printed in clear lettering was 'Claude Giroux, 17". Danny almost started hyperventilating as he set the photo back down, carefully, on the table.

When he looked up, Claude had started crying again, although considerably quieter than the last time. "Can-can I, um, touch…?" Danny inquired and the younger man moved closer, pulling his shirt up. As he stared, he noticed that Claude's stomach was slightly, slightly more rounded and less toned than the last time he'd seen it. Danny reached out carefully, and touched the younger man's stomach, his hand shaking as he imagined the baby inside. "How come you're already starting to show? I mean, Sylvie didn't start to show until her 3rd or 4th month." He inquired, curious, as Claude covered up his stomach again, smoothing a hand over his still flat stomach.

"Um…I keep forgetting you had kids before…" The younger man mumbled to himself. "So, the doctor explained a lot…and I'm not even sure that I remember all of it…I was kinda lost in freaking the fuck out…But, um, guy's bodies adapt worse to the baby, so it starts growing outwards faster, to make sure that the baby has space. Uh…I know I may have mentioned this on the phone, but I can't…um…get rid of it"-His hands stroked across his stomach again, as though he was reassuring the baby inside that it would be born-"cause some nerve, or something is in front of it…and it won't move until the 5th or 6th month, according to the doctor…"

Danny was silent as he imagined how much more the kid must have been freaking out, sitting on the cold doctor's table, imagining how the fuck he would tell Danny, or anyone. Imagining the end of his hockey career, imagining how he could raise a child wrong, and how messed up this kid could be. He quietly pulled the younger man into a soft hug, and Claude snuggled his face into Danny's chest.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." The younger man mumbled, and Danny finally understood why the kid was asking the same question over and over again; he wanted Danny to answer it for him. "I think you should move down here." He finally mumbled, lightly stroking his hand across Claude's hair. The kid made a sound that sounded like 'mmmm', and then "What?" His voice squeaked a little as he sat bolt upright and Danny frowned at him.

Claude stared at him as though he'd gone mad for a moment, then deflated. "Fine." He mumbled petulantly, and then he crossed his arms, reminded Danny of two things: One, he was just a kid, I mean, fuck, 9 years is a giant age difference, and two, he was fucking gorgeous, with his arm muscles bulging it was all Danny could do not to jump him and fuck him into the couch. But that was kinda what got them into this mess, so Danny restrained himself.

"I-I guess I just want you to be around…and I gotta keep playing, I mean heck, the season's just about to start, and…" Danny trailed off as Claude refused to meet his eyes, and tears seemed to be leaking out of the younger man's eyes. "I, um, won't be able to play this year." The kid finally muttered, and his voice broke a little as he said 'play'. Danny closed his eyes, knowing that he was a terrible person, a horrible, horrible person. He didn't deserve to be happy when he hurt everyone around him. First Sylvie, then his kids when he divorced their mom, and then now Claude.

"I'm sorry Claude. I fuck everything up. Shit. I-I just, I dunno. Fuck. " Danny mumbled into his hands, then he apologized a few more times, as hot tears ran down his face and he contemplated leaving the room, to freak out in peace. "Oh Danny. It's, um, it's fine…I just…I know I shouldn't play…I mean that could hurt him, but, uh, I'm gonna miss it." Claude whispered and the older man just made a choking noise into his hands, as more and more tears rolled down his cheeks.

As the Claude realized his comforting technique wasn't working, he leaned forward and put his arms carefully around Danny, enveloping him in a tight hug. After a moment he got control of himself and managed to stop sobbing, he rubbed his face with one hand and then turned around so that he was hugging Claude back. "Fuck." He mumbled and the other man nodded in agreement.

"I-I think we'll be fine. I think you're gonna make a great parent, Claude." Danny finally murmured, some time later, and Claude shook his head, his hair tickling Danny's nose. "No. I'm gonna be horrible." He whined, burying his nose in Danny's shoulder. "No you're not! I'm sure even my boy's will love you!" The older man protested and Claude smiled. "Alright. When do I meet them? And what are we telling them? My team already knows, so I'm all ready for…whatever, moving or whatnot." The kid said, as fast as he could manage, and Danny raised an eyebrow.

What would they tell Caelan, Carson and Cam? What would 7, 6 and 4 year-old's understand about their father's relationship with another man? What would they accept as the truth? What if someone at school told them that Claude and Danny weren't together because they loved each other? Or, worse, told them that Claude wasn't even old enough to consent to Danny? That maybe he had raped a kid?

"Woah, calm down Danny. It's okay…We don't have to tell them anything if you don't want. I don't have to move in with you…I can just…I dunno…get an apartment or something." Said kid murmured, and Danny raised a hand to cover his shaking mouth. "I-I, uh, I dunno what the _fuck_ we can tell them." He muttered and Claude squeezed him tighter. "Why don't we just tell them the truth? Kids can handle a lot." The last part of his sentence was whispered, and made Danny think that something bad had happened to Claude when he was young.

Shit, now he wanted to know what happened to the kid, and if someone had hurt him, then Danny thought maybe he would kill them. Claude must have felt him stiffen, 'cause a moment later he sighed. "Alright, it's not something I talk about a lot, but, um, when I was 8 my coach, uh…oh never mind." The younger man's voice trailed off, and Danny reached around to grip him tight.

"It's okay Claude, I wanna know what happened." He whispered softly and the body leaning on his relaxed. "Um. I think he abused? me. I mean, uh…" Claude covered his mouth with his hand, as though he couldn't believe that he'd just uttered those words. Danny's vision went red as he imagined someone hurting the kid, he would fucking destroy that fucking coach. He knew exactly what Claude was saying, it wasn't that hard to read between the lines, especially when he'd heard stories from so many teammates about the indecencies and abuses they'd suffered over the years.

Who the _fuck_ would ever consider hurting or damaging innocent, wonderful Claude? When Danny calmed down a bit and tuned back in to what the other man was saying, he was babbling again. "I mean it wasn't that bad, and it was only sometimes. I just, I dunno. He, um, liked me I guess? Or maybe he hated me, I'm not really sure. But it definitely wasn't as bad for my psychologic health as they always say, you know? I mean, I had nightmares sometimes, but…Anyway, he was only my coach for a few years…so. Plus I think he died in a car accident?"

"Claude. I-I…" Danny murmured, leaning his forehead against the other man's, who just looked up at him with surprised, and slightly guilty looking eyes. "It wasn't your fault." He finished, simply, and Claude relaxed a bit. "Sorry, I know I was sharing _waayyy_ too much, but I don't really know what compelled me to say that." The kid mumbled, looking away, and Danny just kissed him, a sweet kiss full of emotion and sorrow.

Claude looked down when they finally stopped to breathe, and he muttered something so quietly that Danny wondered if he'd heard it. "I'm gonna go to bed. Where should I sleep?"  and _shit_ , Danny had not even considered that. His indecision must have shown on his face, because Claude froze, unsure of what to do. "Um. I-I can sleep on the couch, or the floor, or wherever." He said tentatively, peering at Danny's face to see what his reaction would be.

Well, fuck. Selfless bastard, now how could Danny make him sleep anywhere else? He knew that he had no guest room; that had been converted into Cameron's bedroom long ago. The only bed he had that would fit Claude was his own, and there was just something odd about imagining sleeping in a bed with the man who was pregnant with his child. "No, no. I'll take the couch, you stay in my room." He finally said, after taking far to long to ponder the thought.

Danny led Claude up the stairs, stopping only to pick up one of Cameron's toys, on the way by. He shook his head in mock anger, and stepped into his room to get his pyjama pants. The younger man carefully set his bag on the floor, looking around the sparsely decorated room. His attention was grabbed by a photo of Danny and a woman with three children, all looked happy, and it made Claude's chest ache to imagine that amount of happiness. He yearned for that; he wished that he could guarantee his child a happy home.

Danny spun around when the sound of muffled sobs met his ears, he took in the image of Claude carefully putting a photo back, tears running down his face. He didn't know what to say to that, and by the sound of it, Claude didn't want to talk either. The younger man collapsed into bed, after pulling off his jeans, and scrunched his face, as though he was hiding from the light.

Since he obviously just wanted to sleep, Danny shut off the light and was about to close the door when Claude mumbled something. "You-you can sleep in here if you want, I don't mind." and how could he refuse that hidden pleading tone in the younger man's voice? Danny slid into the bed awkwardly, not entirely sure what Claude wanted him to do, or how either of them would get to sleep like this. But a moment later, a warm body snuggled up next to his, and soon the sound of Claude's light snoring filled the room. Slowly, slowly, Danny slipped off to sleep, his body acutely aware of the warmth next to it.


	2. Getting to Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As he cuddled back into the blankets, Danny's arms wrapped around him, a thought occurred to Claude. What if this was the only time he ever got to feel like he and Danny were a family?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter this time.  
> Disclaimers from the last chapter still apply.

Claude woke up in the morning with the feeling that he was about to throw up his dinner. He jumped out of bed and ran to find the bathroom, once he got out into the hallway, he realized he wasn't in his house, he was in Danny's…And he had no fucking clue where the bathroom was. Bile climbed up his throat as he stood there, and finally he turned back into the bedroom, remembering that he'd seen a wastebasket in there the night before.

He grabbed the garbage can and promptly wretched, throwing up what felt like all the food he'd eaten in the past 24 hours. Claude forgot that anyone else was in the house, so when a hand lightly started rubbing his back, he jumped, but then his head was back in the garbage can, and he couldn't say anything, even if he'd wanted to.

Finally, it felt like his stomach was out of things to force back up, and Claude wiped his mouth on the back of his hand. He sat back on his heels, and heard Danny quietly slip out of the room. Fuck. Did all the throwing up scare him off? But a moment later he returned with a glass of water, and a mint. Claude smiled weakly, and the older man quirked a half-grin back.

As he cuddled back into the blankets, Danny's arms wrapped around him, a thought occurred to Claude. What if this was the only time he ever got to feel like he and Danny were a family? What if Danny never let Claude sleep in the bed with him again? What if they never got to take those happy photos of the three of them together? He felt wetness slipping down his cheeks, and although he didn't want to, soon he began outright bawling.

Danny's embrace tightened, and he murmured, "What's wrong?", which only made the younger man cry harder. "I-I know it's stupid…but it's really, really nice to just, I dunno, be here with you? And you know, to have someone to look after me after I…um, throw up, and-and…I don't want to…uh…" Claude's voice trailed off as he realized he'd probably already over-shared yet again.

There's no way that Danny could possibly feel any strong feelings for Claude, he was just a one-night stand for an 26-year-old NHL player, who probably had a thing for people who spoke his native language of French. He didn't really have much going for him, besides the fact that he was pregnant with the guy's kid. What if Danny realized that he actually didn't feel any sense of duty to Claude, cause they were just supposed to be a one night thing?

Without realizing it, he'd started sobbing again, and Danny still had his arms wrapped around him, drawing him closer. His body warmth warming Claude's heart as he lay there and imagined the little baby inside him. "I-I'll always be here, if you want me to be." He mumbled in the younger man's ear, and Claude jumped, startled by the words. He turned around quickly in the bed, so that he could face the other man.

"Do you mean it? Really?" He asked, scared of how young and frightened he sounded, even to his own ears. Danny nodded quietly, and pulled Claude even closer. They fell back asleep like that, all tangled up in each other's arms.


	3. Patterned Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The pattern only changed when Danny was away on road trips, those times, Claude stood in the unfamiliar, empty house and cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short chapter.
> 
> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.

Their days fell into a pattern, once they'd told the boys (they really didn't understand what was going on, but that was fine), and Claude admitted that most of his belongings were already there (he'd brought them in his suitcase). They would have an awkward time hanging out in the day, then they would go to sleep in the same bed, and comfort each other. Then the next morning things would get awkward again, and so on.

The pattern only changed when Danny was away on road trips, those times, Claude stood in the unfamiliar, empty house and cried. He just was so struck by how different his life was than he'd expected it to be. He also found himself often lying on the couch with one hand over his enlarging stomach, staring at the wall. He'd become very familiar with the nuances of the paint and many a night he fell asleep staring at it.


	4. Christmas Time is Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claude was both looking forward to the boys going to Sylvie's, and also nervous about it. It meant that he got to give Danny his present, and spend the rest of the day with him…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.

Christmas time came around, and the Flyers weren't playing over the holiday's, so Claude nervously bought a few gifts online for the boys and Danny. He couldn't go outside of the house anymore, in case someone saw his stomach, he and Danny still didn't want to tell their families (besides Caelan, Carson and Cameron), so no one knew…

Christmas morning finally came, and the two men awoke to an excited Cameron jumping on their bed and screaming, "Christmasssssssssss." They got up with a groan and Danny hurried downstairs, while Claude lumbered behind, he'd been walking progressively slower the bigger he got, and he felt fucking giant. He hoped that everyone would like the gifts he'd gotten for them; the boys had gotten to know him quite well, and he was looking forward to them seeing their gifts.

Carson insisted that they open all their gifts in the morning, also since Sylvie was picking them up at 3 to spend the rest of Christmas with her. So they opened their gifts, the boys were happy with theirs and then Danny and Claude stood around awkwardly, until the older man mumbled that he had to go make breakfast.

Claude was both looking forward to the boys going to Sylvie's, and also nervous about it. It meant that he got to give Danny his present, and spend the rest of the day with him…But it also meant spending the rest of the day with Danny; alone. When Sylvie came to get the boys, Claude hid in the kitchen while they filed out, and Sylvie exchanged pleasantries with Danny.

Soon, the door shut, and he wandered back into the living room, siting on the couch with an exhaled breath at how far down it seemed to be. He held a hand over his large stomach as he waited for Danny to find him, soon the older man walked into the room and took in the sight of Claude lounging on the couch, his hand rubbing small, soothing circles over his large stomach.

"Why're you in here?" Danny finally inquired, and the younger man blushed. "I, uh, got you something. But you're gonna have to pick it up, somehow it wound up beneath the tree, and I can't reach that far down…" He murmured, and the other man grinned, picking up the present and another one.

"Here you go, I got you something too." Danny smiled and gestured to the present he'd handed Claude. The older man slowly opened his as he watched, when he got to the present he smiled. "Wow, that's nice." He murmured, and Claude blushed again. "There's space for pictures of him once he's born…Um…I thought, I dunno…" Th younger man muttered, peering at the picture frame that he'd carefully placed all the ultrasound photos that he'd had so far in progression. He kinda had wanted Danny to watch their child grow, and be able to look back at this years later and see their child at various stages of his life.

Danny mumbled a "Thank you." again, and the younger man opened his gift, inside was a key. Danny immediately began explaining the gift, which was good, 'cause Claude was confused by it. "It's, uh, a key to this house. I-I want you to stay here, but if you leave, I want you to always have a way to come back." He said, taking his turn to blush. The younger man smiled, as his eyes watered a little, he felt that maybe he and Danny had a chance after all.

They spent the rest of the day cuddling on the couch, and all-in-all they had given each other the presents that the other wanted most. Claude went to bed happy that night, and the next day he fitted a chain on the key, Danny didn't notice, but he wore the key around on his neck every day, as a reminder that he was always welcome in Danny's life. The older man hung up the picture as soon as he could, in their bedroom, so that he'd see it often, and every time he saw it, he smiled.


	5. So Lonely

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I-I just…It's so lonely here." Claude finally mumbled, and those words conveyed such a feeling of sadness that Danny felt like a terrible person all over again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.

One day, when the younger man was about eight months along Danny left for a 10-day-long road trip and Claude screamed at him and cursed the other man once he'd left. Then he collapsed on the bed and cried himself to sleep, he woke to the sound of his phone ringing, and he jerked upright, fumbling around to end the shrill sound.

"I-I, er, sorry Claude." Danny mumbled into the phone, sounding exhausted and the younger man wrapped an arm around his stomach subconsciously. He was silent for so long that Claude wondered if he had something else to say, or if he'd just called to breathe into the phone for a while. "What do you expect me to do for 10 days?" The younger man finally inquired, sounding worn, and Danny winced. "Um… I dunno, but…uh, can I Skype you?" Then, Claude heard the older man turn away from the phone and yell "Get the fuck out." to his roommate.

A moment later they were talking on Skype, and once Claude saw the other man, he felt better. Danny felt terrible when he saw the tear streaks on the younger man's face. He really shouldn't have left Claude alone, but he also didn't have any other good options, he had to keep playing until Claude got closer to his due date so that he could get time off.

"I-I think, maybe, I, um, love you, or whatever." The younger man finally mumbled, looking away from the screen, and when he peeked up, he saw that Danny was looking concerned. The other man muttered something, then glanced at Claude's swollen stomach. "How is he?" Danny inquired, and Claude looked down, moving a hand to rest over his large stomach.

The doctor said that there was a 50% chance the baby was a boy, so they called it a 'he' for now, because the doc also said they couldn't find out the gender because of how Claude's body held the baby. "He's good, I have an appointment tomorrow, just a check-up, and the doc said we could finally listen to the heartbeat, but I kinda wanted to wait for you to be there." Claude said, and then softly mumbled the last bit.

"Oh. I'm sorry I won't be there for the check-up." Danny said, realizing how much the younger man hated going to the doctor's office by himself. They talked until Danny's roommate returned, and Claude had to hangup before he became curious about who Danny was talking to.

When he returned from the road trip, he was greeted by an enthusiastic (and huge) Claude, who hugged him, and wouldn't let Danny go until he reached around to hug back. "I missed you." He murmured into the older man's neck, his head resting on Danny's shoulder.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, and Claude slowly cried into his shoulder. "I-I just…It's so lonely here." Claude finally mumbled, and those words conveyed such a feeling of sadness that Danny felt like a terrible person all over again. He couldn't do anything about it though, besides wait until he could get time off.


	6. Labor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was then that he realized there was something wrong, like majorly wrong. It took him a while, admittedly, since he'd been feeling weird for the past 3 days. But when the 1st period started, his stomach ached fiercely, and intensely. He doubled over, holding it until the pain subsided again. What the fuck was that? He wondered, and then it seemed so obvious. He was in labor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.

When Claude was about 8 and a half months, Danny thought that maybe he'd like to come to an away game. The younger man seemed to be getting a little stir crazy, and the Flyers were playing the Islanders, so Danny could drive them up, instead of taking the bus. He said that he could give Claude a heavy coat that would mostly hide his stomach, and a hat. Sunglasses finished his disguise, and the younger man was looking forward to the excursion.

They talked happily the whole way there, and when Claude waddled into the arena, it was nearly empty, since he was there so early. He sat in his seat, and rubbed his stomach, attempting to sooth the ever present ache that seemed to accompany him everywhere for the past three days.

His stomach gurgled uncomfortably, and the rubbing didn't seem to calm the active child inside. The baby seemed excited to see it's father play, almost as excited as Claude was to watch a live game finally. Danny wouldn't let him come to any of the other games in case someone noticed him, they'd argued about it many times before.

It was cold in the arena, but Claude felt warm, under the giant coat, with a warm blanket thrown wrapped around his body. In what seemed like hardly any time at all Danny was out and skating around the ice, Claude was so happy, he yelled along with the Flyers fans when they appeared on the ice.

It was then that he realized there was something wrong, like majorly wrong. It took him a while, admittedly, since he'd been feeling weird for the past 3 days. But when the 1st period started, his stomach ached fiercely, and intensely. He doubled over, holding it until the pain subsided again. What the fuck was that? He wondered, and then it seemed so obvious. He was in labor.

Shit. His brain seemed to get stuck on the swearword, repeating it over and over again. Then he remembered the doctor explaining that sometimes it could be days once he felt the first pain before they'd be able to do a c-section. Alright. Well, he could wait until the end of the game, right?

Claude tried to focus as the Flyers got one goal, and then another and another, but his fear and anxiety seemed to be outweighing the logic in his mind. Finally, during the 1st period break, he told himself that if the pain happened again, he would go try to find Danny. Of course, as soon as he made that promise, the 2nd period started, and then another crippling pain gripped his stomach, and he panted through it.

With the pain came something else that was almost less pleasant, if that was possible, a warm wetness coated his legs. Oh fuck. The doc had said that once his water broke, he only had an hour or so to get to the hospital before it would be too late to do a c-section, and he'd have to give birth naturally.

Shit. As soon as the pain faded somewhat, Claude got up, holding his stomach in one hand as he slowly made his way back down the stairs. He waddled out into the hallway as quickly as he could manage, and it took him a moment to find someone to ask, but finally he found the Flyer's dressing room. He got past security by looking extremely panicked and irritated, and also he panted a little, trying to look as unassuming as he could.

He knew that the wetness on his pants must have looked a little strange, but he really didn't give a shit. He walked into the dressing room to startle a Philadelphia trainer. "C-can you g-get Danny?" He panted, and the guy looked at him incredulously. "Why?" The man asked and Claude's face went white as another pain came, he sat carefully on the bench and tried not to scream as his stomach felt like it was caught in a squeezing steel trap.

The trainer was still frowning at Claude when the pain subsided and he glanced up, "Well?" The trainer demanded and Claude yelled, "Fuck you! Just get him!" in a somewhat hysterical manner. The trainer raised an eyebrow in disbelief and replied. "Well, you're just gonna have to wait until the end of the 2nd period."

Claude groaned, and leaned back against the steel support beam as the trainer left the room, his words apparently final. He didn't know how long he sat there with his head against the beam, and his eyes closed, but more pains came and went, and after the 3rd pain, he finally heard the sound of the team returning to the dressing room. "Finally." He muttered, irritated. As the happy team trooped back into the dressing room, they looked at the figure sitting, bundled up, on the bench, and whispers of gossip travelled around the room.

Danny immediately recognized his blanket, and ran forward to see Claude sitting there panting, with his eyes still closed. "What is it, Claude?" The older man murmured frantically. Claude opened an eye to peer at Danny, he couldn't summon the energy to be angry, but he still snapped "We gotta go, now." and Danny frowned for a second before he saw the wet patch on Claude's pants. "Oh. Ooohhh. That. Um… Um, one sec." He murmured, running off to let the coach know that he had to leave for a family emergency.

The coach was unbelievably pissed, and Danny promised to explain it to him later, but right now he was busy freaking out, as he bustled Claude out of the arena and into his car. "Do-" Danny started before Claude panted. "Nearest hospital. Now." and Danny drove off quickly. "How come you didn't come get me earlier?" The older man asked, his hands white on the steering wheel.

"I tried, but that idiot trainer of yours-" Claude's words trailed off and turned into a groan of pain as another contraction gripped his stomach. He whined a little as the pain let up, and Danny's grip on the steering wheel tightened a little more. "I'm scared, Danny." He mumbled a moment later, his head leaning against the window as his other hand caressed his stomach. Claude sounded unbelievably young and frightened as he glanced up at Danny.

"Fuck. I, um, sorry Claude. I know…me too." He muttered in response, and Claude's eyes watered a little. He blinked away tears as they drove up to emergency. Danny wrapped an arm around Claude and the younger man leaned on him as they walked into the emergency room. Claude's soft panting was the only sound in the silence for a moment, and then Danny was quietly explaining the situation to the nurse, and then they were bustled off to the delivery ward.

Hours of screaming and pain later, Danny and Claude were sitting in a bed in the recovery ward, holding their baby girl. "I thought the doc said she'd be a boy?" Danny inquired when the nurse informed them that it was, in fact, a girl. Then the nurse explained that there was a 25% chance that the baby would be female, but it was far more likely to be male, so they were extremely lucky parents.

Claude just looked awestruck as he held their little baby girl in his arms. "I-I, what should we name her?" He finally asked, looking up from their baby to see that Danny was staring at her with the same look of amazement. "Um…I dunno, with the boys, Sylvie and I chose to name them all names that started with the letters 'c' and 'a', but we don't have to do that…" The older man whispered, carefully touching his daughter's perfect head, lightly running a finger over her bald little head.

With those words, Claude knew that they had to give their daughter a name that started with those letters. "How about Cassandra?" The younger man finally muttered after they thought for a moment, and Danny looked unconvinced. "We can call her Cassie! I think it suits her." Claude murmured, holding their daughter closer. Danny looked at her for a few more minutes before he responded. "Cassandra. Alright. I like it." He finally admitted, hugging Claude lightly.

"Cassandra Giroux Brière." Claude mumbled, blushing a little as he looked at their perfect daughter. She was so tiny and wonderful; he could hardly believe that he was holding her in his arms after carrying her in his stomach for so long. "You want her last name to be hyphenated?" Danny muttered, absorbed in filling out the birth form thingy.

"Nope. I thought my last name could be her middle name, and then she'd just have your last name, 'cause I want her to feel just like one of the boys, if you know…um…" Claude's sentence trailed off as he remembered that they never discussed what they would do once Cassie was born. Danny leaned over to carefully tuck on of the younger man's stray curls behind his ear.

His tone was extremely tender and soft as he whispered "I want you to stay with us, if you can." and Claude smiled, leaning into Danny's hand. "Good. 'Cause I wanna stay with you." The younger man mumbled, and then he said, for the second time in his life. "I love you, you know?"

Danny smiled shakily back, and was able to admit to himself and Claude, that he loved the other man. Sitting there, on the hospital bed, with their daughter, everything just seemed so much better and more wonderful, the future looked bright.


	7. Introductions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When someone introduced Danny to 'Claude Giroux', he barely bit back a laugh as Claude's face screwed up in an expression of held back laughter as well. It was funny that they'd woken up in the same bed that morning to their daughter screaming to be fed, and now someone was introducing them like they were complete strangers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply

It took some explaining, but they finally managed to admit that they had a daughter to their respective parents. Claude worked hard to get back in shape, and once the next draft rolled around, he found himself jumping up and down in excitement as the Philadelphia Flyers drafted him. As soon as Danny got back from dropping off the boys at Sylvie's, the younger man pounced on him and kissed him ferociously. "Guess who drafted me?" He panted happily, and Danny grinned. "No? Really? The Flyers?" The older man's smile widened until it looked like it was about to split his face in half. Danny squished Claude into a hug again and murmured "I love you." against the younger man's neck.

All went well at training camp, and they were fine, until the rookies walked into the dressing room before practice, to meet the team. When someone introduced Danny to 'Claude Giroux', he barely bit back a laugh as Claude's face screwed up in an expression of held back laughter as well. It was funny that they'd woken up in the same bed that morning to their daughter screaming to be fed, and now someone was introducing them like they were complete strangers. "It's nice to meet you, Mr. Brière." Claude murmured in French, then he stuck his tongue out as Danny grinned at him. "Nice to finally meet you too."

The rest of the team looked back and forth between the pair, an expression of confusion written on all their faces. "Does anyone else speak French on the team?" Claude inquired, still in their native tongue, and Danny shook his head, so Claude proceeded to make the older man blush. The rookie kept talking dirty all the way through practice, and Danny kept trying to tell him off, but it was hard to stop laughing. Plus, a large portion of Danny's mind was concentrating on keeping his dick down.

At the end of practice, Danny said his goodbye's quickly, and scooted outside, waiting in his truck until Claude hopped in the passenger seat. "'Mr. Brière'? Really Claude?" The older man grumbled as the younger grinned and stuck out his tongue again. Danny couldn't resist, he leaned over to kiss the smirk of his lover's face.

They managed to get all the way home before they fell into bed, panting. "Missed you." Claude mumbled, sticking his tongue in the older man's mouth. Danny fumbled to get the bottle of lube open as Claude pulled off their pants, and shirts. The younger man ran a hand along Danny's chest, wonderingly. Finally the older man got the lube open, and he coated his fingers, wanting to get to the good part quickly.

Claude stroked himself as the older man worked up to three fingers. He moaned as Danny finally pushed in. A few strokes later Danny came, and Claude followed a moment later. "Mmm. Love you." The younger man mumbled, and they slipped off to sleep.


	8. Tired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cassie had kept them up the whole night for the past few days, wailing for attention, and the only times they'd been able to rest had been when one of them was holding her in the bed. Which, of course, didn't work well since she'd start crying all over again for no reason, and which ever one of them was sleeping, would be awake again. Danny sighed, rubbing his eye with a hand. This practice had been one of their worst, both him and Claude were hardly awake enough to skate, let alone pass, or score.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.

"What's going on with you guys?" Pronger inquired, raising an eyebrow as he glanced back and forth between the two exhausted looking men. "Uh…" Claude mumbled, looking away. Cassie had kept them up the whole night for the past few days, wailing for attention, and the only times they'd been able to rest had been when one of them was holding her in the bed. Which, of course, didn't work well since she'd start crying all over again for no reason, and which ever one of them was sleeping, would be awake again.

Danny sighed, rubbing his eye with a hand. This practice had been one of their worst, both him and Claude were hardly awake enough to skate, let alone pass, or score. "Maybe we should tell him." The younger man murmured in French, looking fearfully up at Pronger, who frowned at the pair. Danny glanced at him, alarmed by the thought. "Um…No…I don't like that plan." He murmured back and Claude just shot him a look.

"We gotta tell someone sometime Danny." The younger man pleaded, almost whispering the words. "Would someone tell me what the fuck is going on? In a language that I understand?" Chris growled and the pair jumped, they'd forgotten that he was even there. Danny sighed and switched back to English, maybe it would be best to tell him about Cassie.

The older man shuffled his feet nervously, as Claude stared at him imploringly. "So, um…We have a 10 month old baby at home?" Danny's voice squeaked a little at the end of the sentence. Beside him, Claude nodded furiously, and Pronger's mouth fell open. "Um. Whose baby?" He inquired, confused. Claude leapt into the conversation helpfully at that point. "Ours." He said and Pronger glanced back and forth between the pair.

"But… you guy's didn't even know each other then? Wouldn't that have been like…uh…Oh my god. When you left that game in New York for a family emergency…That was…?" Chris mumbled quickly, and Danny nodded. "Yeah, well, you remember that game two seasons ago in Ottawa, when we went to the Gatineau bar afterwards?" The older man asked, and Claude rocked back on his heels, remembering that night they'd spent together.

Pronger nodded, and then glanced between them again. "Oh. Oooh. So that's when…uh…you two met?" Claude shook his head at the confused man's words. "Nope…well, sorta. That's when we had sex." He said bluntly, and Pronger's mouth opened and closed like a fish for a few moments. "Don't do that to the poor man." Danny murmured to his lover in French.

"So I went into labor at that game in New York." Claude clarified and the confused man frowned at them. "Why wouldn't you tell us about this?" He directed at Danny, who shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I was freaked out enough without the whole team knowing." The older man blushed as he admitted something. His lover leaned over and rubbed his back for a moment, as though trying to make Danny feel better in the past.

"Alright. Alright." Pronger mumbled, obviously mulling things over in his mind. Claude couldn't help gazing intently at Danny as he remembered what they could do when they got home. "Hey Danny. The babysitter has Cassie until 5." The younger man murmured lowly in French, his voice dropping down, like it did when he was aroused. He imagined all the fun they would have once they got home, his smouldering gaze exciting Danny. "Mmmm. Forgot about that." The older man murmured back, also in French.

"Stop it." Pronger growled in English and the pair realized they were standing an inch away from each other, breathing heavily. "Alright, go, go. Do whatever. Just try and sleep more, eh? Also, bring her in to see us sometime, I'm sure the guy's would love to meet her." The pair exchanged a glance at the last few words. When would they tell the team? How would they tell the team?

They got out of there as quickly as they could, getting home to capitalize on their alone time. That night, when Claude was lying in bed, holding a sleeping Cassie on his chest, with Danny and him both staring at the perfect human life they'd created, he realized they should tell the team. "I think we should bring her in to meet the team at the next practice, Danny." He mumbled quietly, trying not to wake their daughter. Danny sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I was thinking that too." The older man admitted, running a hand through his already messy hair.

"What are we gonna tell them?" Claude murmured, wondering how you'd tell your team that you had a daughter with a man on said team. "Um. We'll just say that we're in a relationship, I guess." The older man mumbled in response, and Claude shifted to look at him. "Are we? In a relationship, I mean." He sounded young again, almost as young as he'd sounded on that phone call, so long ago.

"Yes, Claude. We are." Danny murmured back, his words sounding final. After that, they drifted off to sleep, not making any more plans until the following morning.


	9. Telling the Team

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He took another breath in, as he tried to talk himself into opening the door. "Can't do it, hmm? Neither can I." Danny grinned, looking panicked, as they stared at the nondescript door. Cassie hiccuped and opened her mouth, staring at her fathers with an expression of confusion. "Yeah, I know Cas. Your dads are wimps." Claude murmured in French, and Danny's grin widened a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All disclaimers from the first chapter still apply.

Claude took a deep breath in, rubbing Cassie's back as he prepared to step into the dressing room with Danny. Today was the day they'd finally tell their teammates about their relationship and their daughter. He took another breath in, as he tried to talk himself into opening the door. "Can't do it, hmm? Neither can I." Danny grinned, looking panicked, as they stared at the nondescript door.

Cassie hiccuped and opened her mouth, staring at her fathers with an expression of confusion. "Yeah, I know Cas. Your dads are wimps." Claude murmured in French, and Danny's grin widened a little. They stood there for a moment longer, the younger man shifting his grip on their daughter, because she was wiggly today. They weren't sure what it was, but she was in an active phase right now, always shifting and moving.

"You be good, eh Cassie? Win over all the tough hockey players." Danny mumbled to his daughter, who just stared at him, and wiggled again. Claude finally growled "Fuck this." and opened the door, striding in before he could change his mind. The locker room was loud, lots of people talking at once, but when someone saw Cassie, everything got quiet.

"Uh, what are you guys doing with a kid?" Richie murmured, eying Cassie as though he thought he might have to steal her from them to save her. Ilya frowned and said something in Russian, but then corrected himself and switched to English. "Whose she?" His broken English made the question confusing and Claude could feel Danny's silent presence behind him.

"Yeah…so, um, this is Cassandra, or Cassie…She's about 10 months old, and she's my daughter." The young man murmured, blushing as Danny shifted nervously behind him. You could hear a pin drop, the room was so silent. Finally Danny broke the silence. "And I'm her other father." He murmured, and everything seemed to get even quieter.

"Wait. So that game in New York? That was you?" Richards mumbled, a look of consternation on his face. Claude blushed and nodded, bouncing Cassie a little as she was starting to look irritated. "It's okay sweetie." He mumbled to his daughter in French, carefully shifting her to rest on his other hip.

Danny muttered something under his breath in French as Claude's bouncing got more and more controlled as he tried to keep himself from panicking. The room was so silent and finally someone did the math. "Oh fuck. Wouldn't that mean you were only 17…?" Someone muttered and Claude blushed, resisting the temptation to cover Cassie's ears. He didn't want his daughter hearing things like that, he and Danny swore around her all the fucking time, but she had never heard anything derogatory or nasty about someone. She certainly didn't understand legal age of consent, but it still worried Claude that someone was talking about his age when he'd conceive her in front of her.

"What? Do you ask the age of every person you hook up with in a bar?" Danny snapped, and Cassie wailed. Claude hurried to bounce her some more, shushing her as she screamed, obviously picking up on the undertone of anger in her dad's voice. The older man mumbled and apology to his daughter in French, and Claude shifted to rocking her to calm her down. "Shhh, shhh. Cas. Cassie, it's okay baby. It's okay." The younger man murmured to his baby, slowly rocking her. She quieted down after a moment and the locker room fell back into the uneasy silence.

"So…uh…" Claude mumbled, glancing up at the quiet team. Of course, that was the moment their coach picked to walk in. "Alrighty! Everyone ready for practice?" He asked, exuberantly, and everyone just stared at him, as though he'd interrupted something. "So…what's with the kid, guys?" The coach asked a moment later, and Danny threw up his hands in an exaggerated motion. "This is exactly why I didn't tell any of you." He growled, crossing his arms, and Claude carefully continued rocking Cassie, trying to keep her from getting upset again.

"She's ours. Mine and Danny's. Yeah, I was underage. Yeah I was at a bar; shit happens. Fuck off, people." He glowered, glaring at everyone in the room, then focusing his attention back on the small human being in his arms. Claude resumed singing a soft song in French as Cassie gurgled, calming down again.

The coach's mouth opened and closed a few times as the guys were silent again. Then in a flurry of motion, everyone returned to getting dressed for practice. The coach walked over, presumably to talk to the pair and Danny swore under his breath in French. "What is going on here?" He asked carefully, and Claude groaned. "This is Cassie, she's my daughter, and Danny's her other father." He mumbled, and the coach quirked an eyebrow at Danny, who shrugged. "Don't let this affect your on ice performance, okay guys? I don't care what you do in your spare time, but if it affects our chemistry, then I've got a problem with it, got it?" The coach said and the pair nodded, Claude still struggling to keep Cassie quiet.

As the coach left, the guys began offering up hesitant congratulations, and Claude felt a little bit better. Still, by the time the pair got home that day, he was ready to fucking punch something. He'd had enough shit from guys on his old team in Gatineau when he announced that he was pregnant, let alone getting it from the other Flyers.

"Fuck I hate this." He groaned as he put Cassie in her bed to, hopefully, sleep. Danny leaned on his back, giving him a hug as they watched their daughter drift off to sleep. "I love you." The older man murmured, and Claude spun to kiss him, he mumbled "Me to." into Danny's mouth as Cassie drifted off to sleep.

"You know it doesn't matter what those guys say, right?" He muttered, stroking the younger man's face as he bit his lip. "I know. It just gets to me, you know?" Claude said softly, looking down at the ground instead of meeting his lover's gaze. "We'll be fine, no matter what." Danny murmured, lightly resting his arms around Claude's muscled waist.

"Yeah, we will. 'Cause I love you." Claude mumbled, pecking the older man on the lips as Danny drew him out of their nursery, and away from their sleeping daughter. God, she was amazing. A miracle, and the best thing that had happened to him in a long time. She brought him Claude, and for that he was grateful. He drew them into the bedroom, and they fell into bed with a grin.

Later, when they were lying there, Danny stroking his fingers through Claude's curls lightly, they began talking again. "I think we should get married." The older man murmured and Claude just mumbled a sleepy noise of confusion, then a "What?", and he turned so that he could see Danny's face.

"I want to marry you." Danny said to the other father of his child, who was also his lover. "Um…why?" The younger man asked, looking confused. "Cause I love you, and I want to be with you for the rest of my life." He responded, returning to carding his hands through the other man's hair. "Uh…okay?" Claude smiled, kissing the other man lightly on the lips, soon enough the kiss deepened and then the pair broke apart, panting.

"You know this is gonna bring a bunch of shit down on us from the public, right?" He mumbled a moment later and Danny sighed. "Yeah, but I don't care." He responded, grinning at the thought of people's reactions. Claude found himself smiling along with the other man, even if he wasn't entirely sure why they were grinning. "Alright then. I love you Danny, and yes, I'll marry you." Claude said formally, ruining the seriousness of the moment by sticking his tongue out of his mouth a little.

The pair kissed again, and they knew that they would have a great life together. Both were ready to take this next step, and their daughter would grow up with two loving parents. Cassie would grow up knowing that her parents loved each other, and that they loved her too. Danny had come so far since that day when he saw that light on his answering machine flashing red, and although some of it was difficult, the end result was worth the pain. Claude and Danny loved each other, and nothing could change that; they would have a wonderful life together, filled with happiness, pain and surprises.

~Finis! :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you want the sequel? I had a thought to write a second part of this...

**Author's Note:**

> How was it? Not to terrifying?


End file.
